Switch mechanism.



No. 816,812. PATENTED APR. 3, 1906. W. G. MORTENSEN & G. M. THENN.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION rum) OCT. 2. 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

XVILLIAM U. MORTENSEN AND GEORGE M. THENN, OF SALT LAKE I CITY, UTAH.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 3, 1906.

Application filed October 2, 1905. Serial No. 281,056.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM C. MORTEN- SEN and GEORGE M. THENN, citizens of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt-Lake, State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch Mechanisms and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to switch mechanism.

One object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for operating the switch-tongues of railways. 1

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an exceedingly simple, inexpensive, durable, and efficient device of the character stated embodyin such characteristics that the mechanism Wlll not be liable to derangement and positive in operation.

l/Vith these and other objects in View the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will behereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion, size, and minor details within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a portion of a car-platform illustrating my invention in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a switch.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the referencecharacter 1 indicates a portion of the front platform of a railway-car, and 2 the switch including the pivoted tongue 3. Secured in any suitable manner to the inner face of the dash 4 of the front platform of the car is a pair of arms 5, each end of each arm being provided with heads 6 and 7, whereby proper connection of the arms may be made with the dashboard and with the cylindrical-shaped casing 8, secured to the outer ends of the arms. The lower end of the casing 8 is provided with a central perforation arranged for alinement with a perforation 9 in the cap 10, arran ed for removal with respect to the upper en of the casing 8.

An elongated arm 11 is designed to be passed through the perforations of the casing and cap 8 and 10, respectively, with its lower end curved, as at 12, for a purpose presently explained, with its upper end reduced and screw-threaded, as at 13, for the removable engagement therewith of the operating-lever 14. It will therefore be understood that the arm 11 is designed for rotatable, as well as vertical, movement with respect to the casing 8, and in order to hold the arm 11 normally upwardly, so that it will not contact with the tracks or obstructions, I provide a helical spring 15, designed to encircle the arm 11 within the casing 8, there being a washer 16 arranged for engagement with a screwthreaded portion 17 of the arm 11. The lower curved end of the arm 12 is provided with an enlargement arranged transversely thereof, as indicated by the reference character 18. This enlargement 18 is designed to engage upon either side of the pivoted tongue 3 for the purpose of switching the car. Therefore when the car is approachin a switch and the latter is thrown, so that t e car will go straight ahead, and it is desired to round a curvesay, for instance, to the leftthe motorman seeing the conditions in his approach to the switch will press down upon the handle or lever 14 and slightly turn it, so that the projection 18 at the lower end ofthe arm 11 may strike the switch either upon the right or left side, according to the direction of turn. When the projection 18 of the arm 11 is thus presented to the tongue 8 of the switch, the weight of the car will lmmediately throw the latter. If the switch should be opened for a curve and it is desired to go straight ahead, the handle 14 may be pressed downwardly and turned to throw the curved end 12 of the arm 11 in a direction opposite to the direction of turn for rounding a curve, so that When the switch-tongue is engaged it will be thrown to the proper side, thereby causing the car to proceed over the proper course without the necessity of the motorman leaving his car and also obviating the employment of a switchman.

What is claimed is 1. Adevice of the character described comprising a casing having a removable cap, alining perforations formed one in the cap and one in the bottom of the casing, a curved arm mounted for slidable and rotatable movement with respect to the casing, the lower end of the said curved arm having a transverse enlargement, and a hand-lever detach ably secured to the upper end of said arm.

2. The combination With a car-body, of a pair of arms secured thereto, a casing secured to the arm and provided in its bottom with a central perforation, a cap removably disposed upon the upper end of the casing and provided With a central perforation for alinement With the aforesaid perforation, a curved arm slidably and rotatably mounted in the casing through-the aforesaid perforations, a helical spring surrounding the arm Within said casing, a Washer removably disposed upon the arm and located Within the casing, and a hand-lever secured to the upper end of 1 the arm.

3. Adevice of the character described comprising a casing having a central perforation in one end, and a removable cap at its upper end provided with a perforation for alinement with the aforesaid perforation, an arm mounted for sliding and rotatable movement Within the casing through said perforations and having its lower end curved and enlarged transversely at its extremity, a helical spring surrounding said. arm Within the casing, a Washer removably engaged With the arm and located normally Within the casing, and a lever mounted upon the upper end of the arm to cause a rotatable and sliding movement of the latter.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in presence of tWo Witnesses.

WILLIAM C. MORTENSEN. GEORGE M. THENN.

Witnesses:

BARNARD J. STEWART, SAMUEL l/V. STEWART. 

